The annual IIDA Industry Roundtable brings together a select group of IIDA members to discuss issues facing all partners working in the interior design profession. The Roundtable has proven to be an invaluable opportunity for manufacturers and designers to exchange dialogue on issues addressing the built environment. Mark Shannon, Crossville’s Executive VP of of Sales, serves on the IIDA Roundtable and has been a regular contributor to these reports over the years.
Design & Diversity
Why Gender, Equity, And Multidisciplinary Thinking Are Essential To Business
Diversity in its fullest meaning (racial, gender, generational, cognitive, etc.) was the topic of the 2016 IIDA Industry Roundtable in Chicago. In short, “Diverse companies perform better financially, solve problems faster and with more innovation, and are more immune to the perils of groupthink.” The design industry, it seems, is not very diverse in the traditional sense; in fact, it’s one of the least racially diverse professions, with a significant gender imbalance. A number of Roundtable participants testified to this imbalance. The roundtable report contends:
These are urgent matters that we don’t always treat as such. But the health and well-being of our profession depends upon committed, tenacious, and unflagging efforts to create a diverse and inclusive work- force. Passivity is not an option.
We Are Not As Diverse As We Think We Are
Roundtable participants were given an advance questionnaire to gauge their opinions about and experiences with workplace diversity. One question posed was, “Design is considered one of the least diverse professions. do you agree?” Some of the responses indicated that many design industry insiders do not consider the field lacking in diversity.
The Roundtable addressed the factors that may account for this disparity between reality and perception. Numerous contributing factors were discovered during the weekends discussions:
1. We have diversity of thought.
A variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives create what’s called cognitive diversity, and the design industry is populated with people who think differently. Many Roundtable respondents believe that cognitive diversity in an organization is perhaps the most essential ingredient to foster creativity.
2. We have diversity of skills.
As our organizations become more multidisciplinary, our teams are increasingly diverse with respect to expertise.
3. We are open-minded.
The design industry is distinguished by a broad minded attitude.
4. We have diversity of ages.
The subject of age may have been more polarizing than the race conversation at this roundtable discussion. Citing figures from a recent Economist report, Crossville’s Mark Shannon added:
When asked what workforce characteristics will require the greatest change in human resources strategies over the next three years, more than half point to conflicting values across a multi-generational work-force. This is shaping my view of diversity.
The Roundtable discussions went on to address the many facets of diversity in the design industry, from it’s importance in recruitment to the next generations who may not be aware that design is a viable career for them. In conclusion, the industry is well-intentioned, but has work to do. Though it does tend to exhibit a variety of acquired diversity traits, the design industry falls short in terms of inherent traits like race, ethnicity, and gender. The roundtable report outlines an action plan to effect change and achieve adequate progress.
You can read the entirety of the Design & Diversity Industry Roundtable Report here.
